Shopping in Shenzhen

With the growing strength of the yuan – not to mention the internet – Shenzhen isn’t the shopper’s paradise it used to be, and most things are cheaper in Hong Kong or almost anywhere else in China. Even so, with a bit of haggling, you can get some reasonable prices, though remember conterfeit goods are rife in this city.

The Luo Hu Commercial City (罗湖商业城, lúohú shāngyè chéng), immediately to your right as you clear customs on the border, is a chaotic trove of big-brand knock-offs hawking bags, watches, clothes, DVDs and all manner of electronics of questionable lineage. By contrast, the International Trade Centre (国际贸易中心, guójìmàoyì zhōngxīn), a superior three-storey mall on the corner of Jiabin Lu, is a civilized affair populated with shoppers browsing upmarket jewellery and perfume.